Featured Staff Member

Toi Whakaari employs the country’s leading professionals to teach all the courses we have on offer. Our tutors are also practising professionals and have worked extensively in theatre, film and television both nationally and internationally and bring this experience and contacts to their teaching. In this section you can get to know them a bit better…

Brendan Heffernan | Design Tutor

Brendan has worked in film and television since 2004. His roles have involved Concept Artist and Art Director, working with some of the finest film makers working today. Recent projects include Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit and Andrew Adamson’s Mister Pip as well as Underworld 3, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Warrior’s Way, 30 Days of Night and Bridge to Terabithia. Brendan has worked extensively in the film making process from early idea conception right through pre-production, shoot and post-production.

“I have always enjoyed the challenge of telling stories through objects, space and light. Film is an ideal medium for a designer to explore these elements of storytelling. I have always worked with artists eager to grow and share, and Toi Whakaari is an environment in which what I know is shared, challenged and constantly rethought.”

Brendan continues to freelance as a conceptual artist and has also directed his first short film, Night Storm.
He brings to Toi Whakaari a wealth of experience in film design as well as a desire to extend his practice through teaching design for screen.